Naples Children & Education Foundation Welcomes Additional Trustees

Naples Children & Education Foundation Welcomes Additional
Business and Community Leaders to its Board of Trustees

The Naples Children & Education Foundation (NCEF), the founding organization of the Naples Winter Wine Festival, has named Christine Homan (Featured Photo) , Elise and Chris Klein, and Dana and Joe Matina as Trustees. In this role, they will support NCEF’s vision of making a profound and sustaining difference in improving the lives of children in Collier County.

“We are delighted to welcome these leaders as Trustees,” said Dale Medford, NCEF Chairman of the Board. “Their active involvement in business and community service will contribute to our organization, and, as past patrons of the Naples Winter Wine Festival, each of them demonstrates a deep, heartfelt commitment to investing in a broad range of charitable causes in the community.”

Christine Homan is an accomplished art collector with more than 12 years of experience in the industry. She has successfully represented artists and facilitated sales to galleries across the United States. Christine and her family also are well-known prominent philanthropists in both Naples and Cincinnati, Ohio. She established a foundation supporting organizations in both communities with a focused mission on uplifting women and providing aid to those in need.

Elise & Chris Klein

Originally from Chicago, Elise and Chris Klein have been part-time residents of Naples since 2020. Chris retired as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Fortune Brands Home & Security Inc. at the end of 2020. Currently, he serves as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the non-profit Ravinia Festival. Chris also serves on the foundation board for the University of Iowa endowment and locally serves on the Saint Ann School Foundation Board of Trustees.

Elise had a 12-year career in public relations before focusing on raising the couple’s two children. She also led the North Shore chapter of the woman’s auxiliary for the non-profit Infant Welfare Society of Chicago for 25 years. Elise and Chris both graduated from the University of Iowa, and Chris received his Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Northwestern University.

Dana & Joe Matina

Dana and Joe Matina became full-time Naples residents in 2021 after splitting their time between here and New Jersey for 20 years. Joe has more than 30 years’ experience in the financial services business. As the founder and managing partner of The Matina Group, a UBS Private Wealth Management team based in Naples and Short Hills, New Jersey, Joe is a frequent guest speaker nationally and has been honored with numerous industry awards and recognition.

After studying business and accounting, Dana worked in drug safety for a biotech company before owning a gourmet restaurant in Brooklyn, New York. Her focus now is her family and raising their three girls while also serving on the board of the Hope For Children Foundation New Jersey, a Monmouth County charity supporting women and families in need. The couple has been involved in NCEF by serving on the Naples Winter Wine Festival Online Auction Committee as well as a number of other charities, including Youth Haven and The Shelter for Abused Women & Children.

About Naples Winter Wine Festival
The Naples Winter Wine Festival (NWWF), one of the world’s most prestigious charity wine auctions, offers a weekend of unforgettable memories. Guests enjoy world-class food and wine during intimate dinners in elegant, private homes and other landmark settings throughout Naples and are invited to bid on once-in-a-lifetime travel and wine experiences during an electrifying live auction. Since its inaugural event in 2001, the NWWF has raised almost $302 million, making a profound difference in the lives of hundreds of thousands of children in Collier County.

About Naples Children & Education Foundation
The Naples Children & Education Foundation (NCEF), the founding organization of the Naples Winter Wine Festival, is improving the educational, emotional and health outcomes of underprivileged and at-risk children. Through its annual grants and strategic initiatives, NCEF has impacted close to 90 of the most effective nonprofits in the local community, providing 350,000 children with the services and resources they need to excel. NCEF’s unique approach, which emphasizes collaboration between organizations and bridges public and private resources, has become a blueprint for how to transform a community, one issue at a time.

For additional information on the Naples Children & Education Foundation or the Naples Winter Wine Festival, contact Lisa Juliano at lisa@napleswinefestival.com or 239-514-2239.